I need a break from Rumsfeld, Rice, Uncle Dick, and Junior.

[saltpoint]

I'm fast-forwarding to 2008. If you're not in the mood for a presidential poll, that's cool. But I am.

The imagined scenario -- and it's only a scenario and NOT an endorsement, people:

Senator Clinton, thwarted in the Iowa caucuses, does not survive after Michigan's primary. Senator Bayh overtakes the field and emerges as the frontrunner, receives the nomination at the party's convention in Denver, and names Bill Richardson as his running mate.

For the Republicans, McCain is overtaken by fundies on the right and "moderates" on the left. Surprisingly, Sam Brownback knocks out George Allen to capture the fundie vote but Mitt Romney surprisingly leads in delegates going into the GOP convention in Minneapolis. But neither Romney, Brownback, nor anybody else has enough for a first-ballot victory. A brokered convention then turns to Mississippian Haley Barbour, who selects George Pataki as his running mate.

Brownback, furious at the snub, decides to avenge his delegate defeat and run as an independent, choosing Jerry Kilgore of Virginia as his running mate. Many fundie voters are attracted.

Disenchanted by both their parties' tickets, feeling that essential issues remain unaddressed, John Edwards and Jack Kemp form a bipartisan alliance and run as a bipartisan ticket emphasizing economic democracy as a means for fighting poverty.

Which of the tickets below gets your vote?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. None of them -- all horrible tickets.

If the best we can come up with is Richardson and Bayh, or Edwards hooked up with (ew!) Kemp, I'm moving to Bora Bora.

[saltpoint]

3. Just offering a scenario, ocelot, not an endorsement.

I do see a possibility for one or more of these tickets to emerge, though.

[madeline_con]

2. OTHER Robertson/ LaHaye

:sarcasm:

[saltpoint]

4. Now THAT'S a horrifying ticket!

Robertson finished an impressive second in the Iowa caucus not all so long ago.

But these days, I think he's called for one-too-many assassinations of foreign dignitaries.

[evlbstrd]

5. Other.

Meaning None of the Above.
It's way too early. I'm worried about this November and all of the new voting machines.

[saltpoint]

8. Me too, but that's not the intent of the poll.

[AndyTiedye]

6. It's Scenarios Like This That Make Mandatory Voting A Bad Idea!

[saltpoint]

7. Andy, I've incorporated plausible options. I'm not going for "likable"

here at all. That's not my intent.

If the fundies are dissed at the GOP convention, I believe Brownback (or someone else) could rise and break away from the "moderate" delegates' choice. Or the nominee of a brokered convention.

If Bayh is the Dems' nominee, I believe it's plausible that Edwards/Kemp or Feingold/Sebelius could emerge as an alternative.

The Libertarians, Greens, and others will also be on the ballot, no doubt.

It's not that far-fetched. I'm going for 'possible' here, not 'imminent' or 'preferred.'

[saltpoint]

9. 'Am a little surprised at the (so far) 1 vote cast for Barbour-Kilgore.

I wouldn't have thought a Republican ticket that conservative would have much appeal on DU.

[JohnKleeb]

10. Dunno

Kilgore's not AG here anymore though, instead we got Bob McDonnell who in a razor thin margin beat Creigh Deeds who did much better than expected and happens to be a cousin of my cousin's husband. Same type of Republican though. Of those I dont know really and thankfully they seem unlikely since I know Jack Kemp was a big proponent of Reaganomics though he wasn't christian right on social issues, not a liberal but not a big social conservative either. I dont know who I'd vote for, probably write someone in.

[saltpoint]

12. Howdy, John. I finally crashed last night and 'am at it again this mornin

for a short while before heading out, but just wanted to say thanks for the info on Kilgore and the observations on Kemp and the others.

It's a very strong post by you & I say thanks for it.

I'm not sure exactly who I'd vote for either in this scenario. But at one level we all have to be prepared for 08 and everybody's personal favorites may not be in the race at that point.

Really appreciate your taking the time to do such a useful and thorough post.

Hang in there.

[0007]

11. Mitt Romney? Wow! How would ya like to see him President

of the United States? In my wildest dreams I'll never figure out how Massachusetts elected this mormon moran.

[saltpoint]

13. Romney makes me anxious, as in 'nervous' anxious. As if something

is going to happen that's not going to favor liberty and is more aligned with what takes it away.

For all I know Romney will emerge the nominee, or at least the leader in delegates for the GOP convention. But the spotlight in the media will be on his Mormon faith, and I just don't think he's going to get very far with that in the primaries.

But who knows? He's mediagenic, but I just don't like the guy much at all.

I think Haley Barbour is the most formidable GOP potential nominee out there -- more potent demographically than McCain, Allen, THE CAT BUTCHER, Owen, Romney, Brownback -- the whole gaggle of GOP tyrants.

[Totally Committed]

14. Other. My dream team at the moment is...

Clark/Feingold.

TC

[saltpoint]

15. Two formidable souls. I would love to know what these two folks'

internal polling tells them about Iraq.

I think those two Democrats are in a great position to capitalize on distrust and discontent by the voters for BushCo's ill-begotten war.

These two as the Dems' ticket in 08? It could definitely happen.

[madinmaryland]

16. Bayh/Richardson or Edwards/Kemp?

Huh? I can see Edwards as a possible candidate, and maybe Pataki as a veep nominee, but those pairing?

Edwards would NOT run with Kemp. I am assuming both parties will have a candidate selected at the latest by early April or late March, given that they have front loaded most of the primaries. Anyone trying to run as an independent would be committing political suicide, and as such would probably not happen.

I could possibly see Bayh, Edwards, or Richardson hooking up. Don't forget about Al Gore, as he would be able to pull out the liberal wing of the democratic party and may well end up with the nomination.

[saltpoint]

17. Edwards and Kemp are currently making joint appearances across

the country, offering a bipartisan critique on poverty, socio-economic initiatives, froeign relations, and so on.

One article is here from the NEWS-OBSERVER:

http://www.newsobserver.com/659/story/415018.html


I concede that it does not seem a likely pairing at first glance, but nevertheless, there they are, and both men have run as veep nominees for their respective parties in the past.

I have not forgotten Al Gore. A couple of nights ago I posted a thread in which Gore was repeatedly (and very favorably) suggested as a consensus candidate for the Democratic ticket in 08. There is an outstanding cover story on Gore in the current issue of THE AMERICAN PROSPECT also.